Bedding Ideas for a Windy Area

[Pico_Banana]

I have a small 4 stall barn and three horses. Two stalls (about 10x16) are on the east side and two (10x12) are on the west side. All of them have dutch doors to runouts that I leave open as much as possible. I use the two big stalls on the east side and one on the west side.

It is very windy here on a regular basis. Today, for example, it’s an average of 18 mph winds with gusts up to 37. This time of year, the wind mostly blows in a west to east direction. Over the summer, it shifts a little in direction but not a ton. I usually shut the bottom half of the dutch doors when the horses are turned out to keep the wind out.

I use small to medium flake shavings in the stalls. On a day like today, even with the bottom half of the dutch doors closed, it will be windy enough that the shavings will blow into the aisle. Yesterday, I forgot to shut the bottom half of the dutch door on the west-side stall yesterday (when it was actually less windy than today) and by the time I did dinner, there was a bare spot about 5 feet in diameter in that stall where the wind had blown away the shavings. One of my mares also has very sensitive eyes so I end up putting a fly mask on her when she’s in the barn to prevent any problems (learned that one the hard way).

I have used pelleted bedding before and really prefer it to shavings (easier to clean and, in my opinion, cushier) but the wind blows around the broken-down pellets even more than the shavings.

I’d love to hear ideas on how to manage this better. I’ve never bedded with straw nor been anywhere that does, but I wonder if straw might blow around less? I’ve been doing some reading on the deep litter method with straw and it seems like there’s a real technique needed to do it correctly and not hate it. I’m also wondering if maybe I could do a bottom layer of pellets in the pee spots and then deeply bed with straw on top to prevent the broken-down pellets from blowing around.

I have one mare who pees and manures a TON in her stall, but thankfully is very neat and has a designated bathroom area. My other mare is normal, manure tends to be on the side or back of her stall and pretty consistently pees in one general area. My gelding tends to pee in the same spot and mostly manures in the same spots, but the manure tends to get hidden under the shavings, so I’m flipping most of his stall on a daily basis to find all the piles.

I compost on property (just a pile - no bin system) and have a compact tractor. I usually muck into a gorilla cart (I think it’s 10 cubic feet) and then use our side by side to tow the cart to the manure pile. With shavings, I only need to dump the cart once.

I think those are all of the relevant facts. So - any ideas on a better bedding system for such a windy area? I’m open to anything.

[2DogsFarm]

I have the opposite problem.
My stalls open to the East & mostly prevailing winds come from the West.
Stalls are open at the back 24/7/365. Closed only when vet or shoer is due.
I’ve bedded on pellets, switched back to shavings & the problem is horses dragging bedding out when they come & go.
I added a 4" sill - composite decking 1X4 - screwed to the inside wall at the back of stalls & that helped some.

Maybe try the clear heavy plastic strips that are hung from the top of the doorframes.
Horse’s learn to walk through them.
I’ve seen them in Farmtek catalogs, so intended for farm use.

[Simkie]

Can you move all your stalls to the side of the barn away from the wind and close up the windward side? I realize that’s probably a huge ask, but it works really well. I boarded at a barn with that set up–all the stalls on the south side, where the wind came from the north, and the north side (with no doors/openings) was used for storage, tack room, etc. It was amazing. I’d totally build like that if I ever get the chance.

Otherwise, it’s doing what you’re doing. Shut the doors when it’s windy. Putting up a deep overhang might help. If the stalls are open to the wind, bedding is just going to blow.

[Obsidian_Fire]

I have this issue with my mare’s stall. The way the barn is situated makes hers a wind tunnel. I usually top her bedding with uneaten trampled hay, and that does the trick for me. I think you could do the same with straw. As I clean over the next few days, the hay gets mixed into my shavings and it still works.

What about a screen of some sort for the outside door? Weighted on the bottom, the horse could still come in and out but it might help the shavings blowing around.

[Pico_Banana]

@Simkie

Can you move all your stalls to the side of the barn away from the wind and close up the windward side?

Haha, I used to have 3 stalls on the non-windy side, but they were 10x12 and they felt quite small as two of the horses are 16.3. So I converted the 3 stalls into 2 bigger stalls. I did not fully appreciate the wind concern when I did this, but all things considered, I’d rather deal with the wind than the small stalls.

[Pico_Banana]

@Obsidian_Fire

usually top her bedding with uneaten trampled hay, and that does the trick for me. I think you could do the same with straw.

I will try this!

[Pico_Banana]

@Obsidian_Fire

What about a screen of some sort for the outside door?

That’s another good idea. I think I’m going to order some Kool Kurtains and try them.

@2DogsFarm

Maybe try the clear heavy plastic strips that are hung from the top of the doorframes.

Another good idea even if the look of them kills me.

[endlessclimb]

What do the stall doors to the inside look like? Can you block them off with some plexiglass or something, to at least keep the shavings in the stall?